Sharp: Draymond Green's emergence boosts Denzel Valentine's NBA stock – Detroit Free Press
Former Michigan State guard Denzel Valentine on his NBA draft combine experience May 13, 2016, in Chicago. By Mark Snyder, DFP. Videolicious
Green’s impact with Warriors has Spartans’ swingman moving up NBA draft boards
CHICAGO – The most important job interview to date in Denzel Valentine’s young life took an unexpected detour when the Sacramento Kings sought a rudimentary psychological profile of the former Michigan State star at the NBA draft combine.
Team president Vlade Divac asked Valentine if he would mind revisiting the greatest disappointment in his collegiate career — the Spartans’ stunning upset loss to 15th-seeded Middle Tennessee State in the opening round of the NCAA tournament nearly two months ago.
Isn’t the combine part of the process of distancing potential first-round draft picks from their college experiences?
But Valentine willingly and quite easily tapped into the residual internal torment of the lowest moment in Michigan State basketball history during Tom Izzo’s tenure.
He was still ticked off, telling Divac that he would take that defeat with him for the rest of his basketball life.
Divac was impressed.
“You want to see how someone responds to adversity,” said Divac Friday, the second day of the combine. “You want to see if it lingers a little longer in some rather than others. Does it motivate him? He made it clear to us that it still made him mad and drives him to do more. That tells you how badly he wants to win above all else.”
It also told Divac the importance of playing college basketball for four years. “A freshman probably doesn’t get that,” he added.
Old is what’s new in this NBA draft class. In this specific year, the four-year player isn’t denigrated for staying too long and having their weaknesses exposed for all to dissect. There’s valor as well as value in the maturity gained from a complete collegiate career.
Valentine could become one of as many as four 4-year players selected in the draft lottery next month — joining Oklahoma senior guard Buddy Hield, North Carolina senior forward Brice Johnson and Providence redshirt junior point guard Kris Dunn.
In recent drafts, Valentine could have easily slid out of the lottery due to plenty of high-end freshmen and fallen to an already good team looking for the right fit rather than a potential future star. But some NBA executives already consider this draft devoid of potential high-impact players.
If you’re looking for a solid, smart and reliable player in the lottery, Valentine’s your man.
“During the interviews, I’m being asked what position I thought best describes my game,” Valentine told reporters Friday. “And I told them that I don’t think there’s a single, set position that describes what I can bring. You might have to think up a different name for the position that I would play. Or maybe just think of me as a basketball player. That what Draymond calls himself.”
Everyone’s looking for the next Draymond Green, the former Saginaw High and Michigan State star who has become basketball’s version of the Swiss Army knife. Utilitarian in its many uses. Whatever you need him to be in any given game situation. Instead of pigeonholing him into a specific position and purpose, his job is “playing Draymond” as Valentine said.
Green previously said that he considers Valentine the guard version of himself. Valentine’s comfortable with that description.
What’s his position? Playing Denzel.
“Draymond’s definitely paving the way for guys like me,” Valentine said. “He’s bringing that toughness, versatility, leadership and refusing to lose. That’s what I bring as well.”
Izzo told Valentine after every triple-double he got last season with the Spartans that he owes Draymond a bottle of champagne, because Green has changed positional perceptions, which helps Valentine going forward.
The NBA’s gradually morphing into a “position-less” sport. Labels are rejected. Nobody wants to be listed as a “seven-footer” now because they’re typecast as a center. And who legitimately competes for championships in today’s game with a traditional back-to-the-basket big man?
More teams are looking for prospects that easily blend into any given game situation. Valentine could ably fill that chameleon role, effortlessly adapting to point guard, shooting guard or outside wing.
But Valentine’s most attractive quality — as prospective suitors learned over the last few days — is that his competitive wounds don’t easily heal.
“That was one of the biggest forms of adversity that I’ve ever had to face in my life,” he said about the NCAA first-round exit. “I went to Michigan State to win a national championship and to be with the Magics and Mateens. It was a big letdown when you think it’s going to happen and it doesn’t. It dwells in you.”
But it also pushes him harder at the next level.
Contact Drew Sharp: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @drewsharp. To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/drew-sharp/.
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